Georgians may not remember the massive voter data breach that exposed the confidential information of 6 million voters by the time Secretary of State Brian Kemp runs for election again. But his rivals will surely try to remind them.
Kemp said a now-fired worker added the sensitive data to a public voter file that was sent to 12 political parties and media outlets last month. And his response to the crisis will determine if the embarrassing breach continues to dog him should he run for governor in 2018.
"In the end, it’s often not the situation itself. It’s how the person dealt with the situation," said John Watson, a former chief of staff to Gov. Sonny Perdue. "That’s what voters measure in the aftermath.”
The field for the 2018 race for governor is already taking shape, and Kemp is among a trio of top Republican contenders for the race that also includes Lt. Gov. Casey Cagle and Attorney General Sam Olens. Several Democrats, including House Minority Leader Stacey Abrams and ex-state Sen. Jason Carter, are also said to be considering a run.
The Athens Republican was riding a wave of positive national attention before the disclosure as the architect of the SEC primary, the regional March 1 vote, and smaller initiatives like the "Peanut Poll" he organized at the Georgia National Fair.
After the voter data breach, though, there was a curious response from Kemp's GOP colleagues. Gov. Nathan Deal and most others in the Republican establishment were silent, with nary a statement of support or sympathy.
Some privately said they were reluctant to further politicize the breach. His GOP rivals sensed blood in the water and wanted to steer clear. And Democrats, in search of what party chairman DuBose Porter calls a "Hell You Say" moment, predictably seized on the disclosure to tarnish Kemp's candidacy.
Kemp’s supporters and other conservative activists hope the sting of the disclosures will fade as he pivots to prepare for the March 1 regional vote and the November general election.
“Voters have short memories,” said Bill Fogarty, who leads the Georgians for Fair Taxation group. “I don’t think it will affect Kemp.”
Joel McElhannon, a GOP consultant and Kemp ally, said the bolts fired by Democrats made clear that they see the secretary of state as the Republican front-runner.
“The Democrats will continue their attacks but three years is an eternity in politics,” said McElhannon. “When voters look back on this they'll remember Kemp was strong leader who acted quickly and did the right thing to protect them.”
Some voters, meanwhile, vow the disclosure won’t be easily forgotten. Lucas Jensen, an assistant professor of instructional technology at Georgia Southern University, was among those who signed a petition calling for Kemp to resign.
“I’ve had my identity stolen a few times. Once it was a Russian mobster. The other time it was a coupla guys who went out and spent $40 on McDonald’s,” Jensen said. “Those are the guys who leak your Social Security numbers – not the Secretary of State. Not the person whose sole job it is to protect Georgians from supposed voter fraud.”
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